Improvement in shaft-couplings for vehicles



v J. STEELE. T hil l Coupling.

f Nd, 1'08,062. Patented Oct. 4, 1870-.

- UNITED: STATE PA NT OFFI E,

JOHN STEELE, on" SHELDON, ILLINOIS.

' IMPROVEMENT INISHAFT-COUP'LINGS FOR VEHICLES;

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 108,062, dated October 4, 1870.

1'0 all whomt't may concern.-

Be it' known that I, JOHN STEELE, of Sheldon, in the county of Iroquois, and in the State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Thill or Shaft Coupling; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which like letters of reference refer to like parts, and in Which Figurel represents a perspective view; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the strap ahd eye separatefrom the thill; Fig. 3, an endview ol'theeye, showing the rubber or leather cushion bet-ween the eye and the hinge bolt.

This improvement relates to that class of th'ill-coupli,pgs in which the eye of the strap or coupling is made in two halves or parts, which, when closed by screw-nuts, retain the small b olt uniting the strap and thill to the vehicle, so as to form aguivk and easy plan .for the attachment or removalof the thills, the

bolt forming the connection being wrapped with leather or rubber, soas to prevcntall rattl'in g or jarring of the coupling.

Now, my invention consists in splitting ordividing the strap 'farfenough up toward the endto all-ow of a sufficient separation ofthe parts of the eye in attaching and removing the thills, so as to require only one screw in closing or fastening the strap, thus enabling the latter to be attached or removed with greater facility, and,bcsides,efl'ecting a saving in cost of construction in the using of only one screw instead of two, as in those heretofore constructed, which, having the strap in two separate part of course requiretwo screws, and

consequently more handling in fastening and ion or fender, of leather, rubber, or other similar material, around the coupling-bolt It; D, the hinge on the vehicle, which receives the eye within its jaws.

The strap is split, as shown in the drawings, being divided far enough up toward the end to allow of a suflicientseparation of'the parts of the eye in attaching or removing the thills to the-vehicle, the thumb-screw bringing'the eye well together.

Further description or explanation is deemed unnecessary, as the drawings fully illustrate the improvement.

I claim as my invention- In a thill coupling for vehicles, the divided eye a a and divided strap B, the latter being a continuation of the longitudinal division of the former, and constructed either partially split or divided, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I.

have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of October, 1869.

JOHN STEELE.

Witnesses:

" HENRY W. WELLS, .TonN MARSHALL. 

